Despite having only one returning senior starter from last year’s 14-5 team as well as having five new players, Adams County Christian School softball coach Bruce Pickle is ready for the 2001 season.

&uot;I’m excited. The girls are excited,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m ready to get in a few weeks of practice and start playing.&uot;

ACCS will have three seniors on this year’s team, but Holli Hankins is the lone returning starter.

&uot;I’m expecting her to be the leader in the outfield,&uot; Pickle said.

The other two seniors that will be on the team are Crystal Alexander and Rachel Brown.

&uot;Crystal will probably play in the outfield and Rachel can play at any number of positions,&uot; Pickle said.

Other key players returning for the 2001 season are two juniors – infielder/outfielder Brandi Case and pitcher/first baseman Charmaine Reagan; two sophomores – catcher Alicia Brown and shortstop/second baseman Riana Flynn; and freshman third baseman April Boyd.

&uot;Reagan can play anywhere in the infield,&uot; Pickle said.

The other members of the team include three sophomores – Kristin Cox, Meghan Marchbanks and Stacy Welsh; two freshmen – Krystal Truitt and Kelsey Ward; and two eighth-graders – Kelsey Messer and Joy Wynn.

&uot;I think we’re about 50-50&uot; in experience, said Pickle. &uot;A lot of new faces mixed in.&uot;

Pickle said that because ACCS’s softball doesn’t compete in a certain district all the teams in Class 3A and Class 4A will compete in a state tournament at the end of the season.

He also said the Lady Rebels’ toughest opponents would be Parklane and Amite School Center.

&uot;Parklane’s always a good team. Amite is going to be tough,&uot; he said. &uot;They’re usually the toughest two in the area that we face.&uot;